Posted by Jeff on July 23, 2001 at 23:30:39:
Taken from
http://www.nineveh.com/kibitzer/kz1.htm
As a rule, Assyrian "leaders" and their
organizations like to operate in secretive and autocratic fashion. With some
exceptions, they bristle
if the average person questions any of their actions.
This is clearly a throwback to the old days. In the
immigrants who arrive West discover (some sooner than
others) that respect is not to be confused with servility.
It has been several centuries since the West rejected the principle that
"the King can do no wrong." Unfortunately, this reality is slow to
sink in for many. Activist Assyrians in the diaspora are volunteers, not
servants. Increasingly, they resent being treated as unquestioning
minions. This issue is in fact at the heart of a heated debate currently on the
Internet, especially on "Zenda" .
The crux of the criticism is the close-mouthed style of leadership exercised
by the American head of the Assyrian Democratic Movement
(ADM), and its non-profit offshoot, the A.A.S. Whatever the system was in the
old days, it is no longer enough to say "Trust me", or "I
am your leader". The activist rank and file expects and demands to know.
Francis is such an arrogant Asshole here. Look at what he is saying. Just
WHO are the "activist" rank and file? Surely not himself! How is
criticism of the ONLY organization that discloses its finances and which helps
our people exclusively in
By now, it is apparent that the modest efforts of Kibitzer to inform the
Assyrian people of a subject of public interest is seen by some of
our "leaders" and some of our organizations as "a threat",
an "interference", or a "sabotage". But on the contrary, it
has been our purpose
to document the process and the actions of six Assyrian organizations which
happened to have been named by the late Mr. Adams. We
have already named the six groups; together they will receive about one million
dollars thanks to the Will of Mr. Adams. With his final
words, Mr. Adams entrusted these funds to his trustee, to make sure that they
would be used only for "Assyrian children’s schooling and
education", and "Assyrian refugee assistance".
There is nothing sinister about the motives of Kibitzer. A one million dollar
grant is substantial and, for Assyrians, it is also
unprecedented. Can anyone argue that the average Assyrian man or woman should
not be interested or informed on how this is spent?
Can any one say that this is a "private affair", and not a matter for
public disclosure? Incredibly, the answer to each of these questions is
YES! Let us take the case of the Assyrian Aid Society of
ADM.
First off, it has members. If there were no members, then why is there a
Over two months ago, I wrote to the group’s President, to inquire exactly
what A.A.S. planned to do with these funds.
What gives YOU the right to go around and find out EXACTLY anything, Mr.
Know it all? If you asked me to tell you EXACTLY what CARE spent its money on,
I'd tell you to go fuck yourself. If any fool off of the street asked me
(politely), I would respond by explaining everything to him.
Unfortunately, the response I received back amounted to classic
stonewalling. I had asked the basic questions any journalist might ask. The
answer was
to invite me to contribute funds to the A.A.S.
Take into consideration your pompous, arrogant demeanor and the fact that
you are NOT a journalist, but a nosy lazyass who has done NOTHING tangible for
his people, and you will arrive at your answer
In a previous column, Kibitzer wrote that the most critical issue is whether
the sanctity of a man’s Last Will will be respected or
manipulated (not only the clear legal responsibility, but also the solemn moral
responsibility). But other important issues also come into
play. For example, do Assyrian Presidents and Boards of Directors have
sufficient maturity to conduct their affairs openly, and do they
have sufficient trust in the people to act above board, and to welcome public
scrutiny? Or are they too arrogant or perhaps too insecure
to make adequate disclosure to the Assyrian rank and file?
Are Assyrian Presidents and Boards of Directors sufficiently competent to take
full advantage of singular opportunities such as the
occasion and infuse it with fresh ideas?
As a part of the stonewall,
Define stonewall
... the A.A.S. President wrote back that "until we receive such
funds, it is entirely inappropriate to comment."
The Greeks had a wonderful way with language, and in this case the word that
comes to mind is sophistry.
Whenever I read anything that you write, the first word that comes to my
mind is "idiocy". The second word is "Sophistry". By the
way, Sophistry isn't just having a way with words, genius. It is about having
the ability to convince your audience to do what you want them to do. It is the
ability to draw off of the collective knowledge of your audience to better
yourself. Remember, "The many are wiser than the one." You, are just a fool.
This kind of evasiveness
would be ample justification for the Trustee of the
Trustee, has a serious fiduciary obligation. He cannot be expected to settle
for this gobbledygook.
The Assyrian Aid Society (A.A.S.) is an organization whose primary purpose is
to deliver funds to northern
prospectus, it raises funds for the following seven purposes:
(1) Medical Relief ;
(2) Rebuilding Villages;
(3) Support of an Orphanage;
(4) Family Cash stipends to needy families where the breadwinner is deceased or
a political prisoner;
(5) Supporting Agriculture;
(6) Student Aid; and
(7) Help develop cottage industries.
The immediate question is how the A.A.S. intends to obey the law and to follow
the
program. It is well known that the A.A.S. (like its parent organization, the
A.D.M.) has little concern for or interest in refugees. This is
not said by way of criticism, but as a matter of fact. The focus of A.A.S. is
on the Assyrians who remain in Bet Nahrain, not those who
leave it. Presumably, therefore, this limits the use of the
I am sure Mr. Adams’ trustee will demand to know specifics about this use, and
they would be derelict to do otherwise. Many Assyrians
are likewise interested to know these particulars. On a personal note, this
columnist has previously visited North Iraq and
has always been briefed in detail. In such places as Zakho and Dohuk, representatives
of the A.A.S. were most eager for interested
Assyrians to examine the books, past projects, current activities, and future
funding plans.
They were kind enough to arrange for visits with Assyrian families in towns and
in the countryside who spoke candidly about the role of
A.A.S. and A.D.M. in their lives. Contrast this overseas approach to the
arrogance displayed by the A.A.S. "leadership" in the
Please note the irony. Assyrians in the homeland, living under oppressive
circumstances, insist on candor and public disclosure. Here, in
what is said to be the most democratic country in the world, the posture of the
local A.A.S. leadership is diametrically the opposite.
There must be an explanation for this cynical turnaround. Perhaps it shall be
explained to us one day.
But all is not negative. In covering this story, Kibitzer has also had some
positive encounters. For example, the Assyrian American
Association of Southern California, which is one of the six groups on the
disclosure. A key question is this: What has caused one group to operate by
stealth and surreptitiousness, while another group opts for
candor and openness. Kibitzer will consider this dissimilarity in a future
column.
You're the weakest link; Goodbye!